Profile
Colonel McGrath graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1988 following two years of enlisted navy service in the submarine force.
Upon graduation, he attended The Basic School and Infantry Officers Course.
He served with the 3d Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division as an Infantry Platoon Commander, and Company Executive Officer, deploying twice on Landing Force 6th Fleet deployments that supported Operation Desert Storm and Operation Sharp Edge (Liberia). Following this tour, he served as an Assistant Operations Officer and Operations Officer with 2d Force Reconnaissance, II Marine Expeditionary Force.
In 1994, he was assigned to Marine Forces Atlantic for duties in the G-3 as an Assistant Operations Officer.
After attending Amphibious Warfare School in 1996-1997, he returned to Camp Lejeune and served as a Company Commander, Company K, 3d Battalion, 2d Marine Regiment, again deploying to the Mediterranean as part of the Landing Force 6th Fleet conducting operations in Bosnia with SFOR. Upon return to Camp Lejeune, he served as the Operations Officer for 2d Marine Regiment.
In 2000, he was sent to Ft. Leavenworth to attend the Army Command and General Staff Course with a follow on tour at the School of Advanced Warfighting in Quantico, Virginia.
In June 2002, he reported to II Marine Expeditionary Force as a plans officer. Immediately assigned to 2d Marine Expeditionary Brigade, he participated in the development and execution of Task Force Tarawa’s participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom, returning to Camp Lejeune in July 2003 and resuming duties with II MEF. In Jan 2004, he was again deployed to Camp Lemonier, Djibouti and assigned as the Chief of Plans for CJTF-Horn of Africa as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.
He returned in July 2003 and was assigned as the Operations Officer, 26 Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), subsequently deploying to the Persian Gulf to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. Upon return, he assumed command of 3d Battalion, 6th Marines and deployed to Al Anbar Province in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from Dec 2006 to August 2007.
In November 2007, he reported to the Naval War College as a student. In May 2008, he was reassigned to the Joint Military Operations faculty, simultaneously moderating the senior seminar and completing his student requirements. The following spring, he was detailed to the Maritime Advanced Warfighting School as an instructor.
In June 2009, he deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan and assigned as the Lead Planner for the NATO International Security Assistance Force, serving in this capacity until August 2010. Redeploying to CONUS, he served for an additional three months with the CENTCOM Working Group in Tampa, Florida again deploying to the theater to coordinate the theater commander’s input to the National Security Council’s Afghanistan Pakistan Annual Review.
He is currently assigned as a military professor with the Joint Military Operations Department.
Colonel McGrath is a graduate of Army Airborne School, Army Parachute Rigger’s Course, Army Jumpmaster’s Course, Army Combatant Diver Course, Army Dive Supervisors Course, Naval Gunfire Liaison Officer Course, Team Embarkation Officer Course, and the Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer Course.